Report: Washington asked Israel to attack Iran alone

Israel's Maariv newspaper reported that Washington asked Israel during security talks over the past two weeks to launch an attack on Iran alone without US participation or military coordination, but Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir rejected the request, warning it could postpone Knesset elections scheduled for October 27. After the refusal, Washington withdrew its request. The report linked US pressure to security developments in Iran and reports of an accelerated rebuild of its drone and ballistic missile systems, as well as US midterm election considerations. Bloomberg reported that Iran preserved its weapons factories despite attacks, contradicting statements by Trump and US War Secretary Pete Hegseth, while at least 10 ships were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz over the past week according to the UK Maritime Authority.